Save for maybe the seasoning of Kentucky Fried Chicken, no beloved American flavor is guarded more closely than the original recipe of Coca-Cola. That's probably why the team behind the radio program This American Life was stunned to find what looked to be that very recipe published openly in a decades-old newspaper article. More shocked was the food historian TAL interviewed, who said it's very likely the recipe is authentic.

Here, the formula for Coca-Cola Classic, complete with the ultra-secret "7X flavor" that makes Coke so unique:

Standard ingredients:

Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams

USP Citric acid: 3 oz

Caffeine: 1 oz

Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity)

Water: 2.5 gal

Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart

Vanilla: 1 oz

Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color

The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):

Alcohol: 8 oz

Orange oil: 20 drops

Lemon oil: 30 drops

Nutmeg oil: 10 drops

Coriander: 5 drops

Neroli: 10 drops

Cinnamon: 10 drops

This American Life has instructions about how to cook your own batch of Coca-Cola here. Make your own and avoid all the terrible corn syrup.